1. Field of the Invention:
The present invention relates generally to controllers for automobile air-conditioners, and more particularly to an apparatus for automatically controlling the changeover of the discharge mode of an automobile air-conditioner.
2. Description of the Prior Art:
One example of air-conditioner controllers of the type described is disclosed in Japanese Pat. Laid-open Publication No. 57-186511. The disclosed controller is constructed to correct the discharge air temperature according to the output from a sunlit portion temperature sensor and simultaneously change over the discharge mode. According to another controller known from Japanese Pat. Publication No. 63-244, the discharge mode is changed into the bi-level mode when the output from a sunlit portion temperature sensor exceeds a predetermined value and an occupant does not feel heat on the upper part of its body.
In the known controllers, the temperature of the upper part of a vehicle compartment is not taken into account for the control of the changeover of the discharge mode. Rather, the changeover of the discharge mode is achieved based on a presumption that the sunshine will require a supply of cooled air from a vent outlet into the vehicle passenger compartment. Such presumptive mode change has a problem that the vent outlet is opened even when the temperature in the vicinity of the head of the occupant is low and hence the supply of cooled air is not necessary. Furthermore, with the known controllers, the discharge mode of the air-conditioner is controlled to demonstrate a predetermined changeover performance without variation, regardless of differences in feeling among individual users or occupants.